Herb Kohl, a former U.S. senator who has owned the Bucks since 1985, agreed to sell the franchise to investment executives Marc Lasry and Wesley Edens for about $550 million. The deal still has to be approved by the NBA and its board of governors, but the new owners say they will keep the team in Milwaukee.

Blazers coach Terry Stotts twice worked for the Bucks, first as an assistant coach under George Karl, then as head coach for two seasons.

“If the reported amount was correct, I'm very pleased for the senator,” Stotts said. “It sounded like it was a good deal for the senator, sounded like it was a good deal for the city, and the team’s going to stay in Milwaukee, which I’m happy about.”

Kohl was the first owner to hire Stotts as a head coach – his previous head coaching stint, with Atlanta, came after a mid-season firing and Stotts took over as interim coach. Even though Stotts’ stint in Milwaukee ended with him being fired during the 2006-07 season, and he maintains some unpleasant feelings about it, Stotts said he has maintained a cordial relationship with Kohl.

“He’s a good man,” Stotts said. “When we played them in Milwaukee, I had breakfast with him. When I was in Dallas, one time we played Washington, went to his office and visited with him. I’ve always maintained a good relationship with the senator.”

Stotts, in fact, still routinely calls Kohl “the senator,” and said he always addresses him as “Senator Kohl.”

“A lot of people call him Herb, but I always call him Senator,” Stotts said.